Dashboard Confessional covers your songs. If you get a chance, Cory is on the epic tour right now, and it more than likely to land in your backyard before you know it. Check out the dates on www.corybranan.com
Enjoy the video. See the boy. Enjoy the music. Spread the love.
<3,
Management
When I first met Sarita, she told me this story. It was so awesome that I decided if I ever got a chance to do a site like this one…that this would be a story. You are sorta familiar with her from the ‘Belly dancing Cory Vid’. Well, after much prodding, Sarita has decided to share that story with us here at the diner. Sarita, I can’t thank you enough, and I hope y’all enjoy it too. Here it is, in her own words:
For over a decade I longed for a tattoo, but just never found a design idea that inspired me enough. I thought I had at one point, until my girlfriend at the time made it into a necklace. I figured there was no point in getting a tattoo: “Hey, if you like how this looks in silver, check it out in the FLESH!” I lost the necklace a few years later but by then I’d lost the desire for that design, too (still miss the necklace, though).
In spring of 2006, some good friends of mine (Mimi and Cricket from Last of the Hardcore Troubadours) introduced me to Cory’s music. I first heard “Tall Green Grass,” and liked it all right. Shortly thereafter I procured both albums and fell hard and fast. I’m big into lyrics and, well, y’all know. Cory’s got that way with words. That summer I got obsessed with the song “Hellbent and Heartfirst.” Not so much with the “love at first sight” bit, but the idea of “skipping past the salt pillars where everybody turns back” and that “nothing scars you deeper than the things you haven’t done.” I tend to overthink myself into inaction, and loved the song title as a reminder to quit thinking so damn much and just GO. That, and the Miami Vice reference. I’ve spent MANY perfect moments geeking out about TV shows.
I started doodling on my arm in Sharpie when bored. I knew I wanted a heart, but couldn’t figure out the rest of the design - a Traditional American piece just didn’t fit my style. During a tattoo-obsessed weekend at the beach with a very patient longtime friend of mine, we happened to see this print and it hit me that I could do something similar, hiding the text in the linework. I got in touch with my friend and fellow dancer, Sara Beaman, about creating a design that would incorporate Cory’s lyrics into something that fit my personality.
Here’s the result:
It’s the word “hellbent,” in an elaborate henna tattoo style. There are heart shapes in it, both from the observer’s angle and mine. The left side says “hell” and the right “bent.” The “h” and “b” are large and stylized lowercase letters; the “ell” and the “ent” are contained in each one, respectively. If you don’t see it, well, just ask me at a show. I’ll be happy to point it out.
I like that it’s elegant, yet big enough to be kind of badass. I like that I can choose to explain as much or as little as I please. I like that it gives me another opportunity to tell people just how awesome Cory’s music is. I love that it’s a daily reminder and inspiration for how I want to live my life; that the tattoo itself is an exercise in making a decision, acting on it, and living with the consequences.
Thanks to Cory for the words, and Sara for the design, and Tom Blackmar at Tattoo Asylum in Durham, NC, for bringing it all to life. Oh, and caseymagic for prompting me to tell the story.
My sincerest apologies for not updating lately. But, I’ll do my best to give it a good go here.
Firstly, I’d like to apologize for the ‘Beat It’ cover. Namely because it’s not the full version with the Eddie V. Solo, and secondly, incase the thrilling picture of M.J. was such that it sent you into childhood flashbacks, thriller jackets, and old school MTv.
Secondly, the ladies at Hardcore Troubadours have put up a Brew City-ish podcast complete with Ben Nichols and Cory Branan. Give them much love, if you haven’t already. If you haven’t been there, then please, check it out!
Thirdly, BoogieMann himself, found a site that had some Cory Branan tabs on it, right HERE.
Fourthly, but not leastly, here’s another video of a fiddlish ho-down, with Cory Branan and Sarah Mann playing ‘Sour Mash’.
I know that a lot of you are hung over from reading Harry Potter. And if you aren’t hung over from reading the Harry Potter, maybe it’s because you are still looking for a copy to read. And if none of this makes any kind of sense to you…well you and I are in the same boat.
I would like to start off by saying to you, Ezra, that show is so awesome. For those of you who know what I am talking about…well, you know. For everyone else…you will be praising Ezra’s name from atop Mount Ararat, as you might be getting a download of Cory Branan covering ‘Beat it’, or, many many other great sound board tunes. Ezra, you are the man, and for that special sharing, I’m making something up for you real soon. The few mp3’s that I sent you will do you no justice for sharing something like that with us. So big thanks to you.
For my second shout-out…just when you thought Cory’s music couldn’t get ANY better…along comes a diner member. Funny enough her name is Sarah, too. When she’s not rocking her ‘Hellbent & Heartfirst’ Tattoo, or putting me off by blatently not writing up a little thing about it to share with us here (hint. hint.) she’s a practicing Belly Dancer. What could go well with a Bran-tastic version of Girl Named Go in Charlotte? If you guessed ‘Belly Dancing’…you’d be right. So thanks to Sarah for having this shot and sending it over to us here at Diner Central. Enjoy!
And truly, I want to thank everyone here. I think with each week that passes, people get more into Last Chance Diner, and after this past tour, and everyone helping out, there will be a little bit extra sugar in everyone’s sweet tea. So, this is a big thank you to everyone that links to us from a blog, or tells a friend, or just enjoys this place in general.
Thank you.
Love,
Management (aka People who act like Brian Mann’s ex-girlfriend)
How y’all doing? I know it’s been a long spell, however, it’s been a whirlwind of crazy in the Carolinas. Lucero…Cory…fiddles…rock shows. It’s been truly nuts, and as you’ve always heard, when it rains…it pours.
Having said that, I know that we just put up Tall Green Grass with the story, but, this is a particularly good one here. Cory is playing with a friend of mine, Sarah Mann (from American Aquarium), who plays violin/fiddle on this, and several other songs throughout the night, which, we will in time, get up and out there. Hell, I’ve even heard there are some Belly Dancing Diner goers from a Charlotte show during ‘Girl Named Go’. I also hear there is some video. If, and when, this video arises you’ll see it first. Like always. Until that time, check it out:
And if you have any Tour-stories, please send’em our way. I know we’d all love to hear them. Oh! And I tried to make this look like an old super 8 video. Hopefully you don’t get bugged out by the fuzziness. It was intentional. If you hate it…well, tell me that too!
Much love,
Management.